〜軒(けん)

けん
counter
counter for houses, buildings
number
1. counter for houses, buildings, shops
Used to count houses, shops, restaurants, and other establishments, typically as buildings along a street or in a neighborhood.
一軒家(いっけんや)に住(す)んでいる。
I live in a detached house.
この通(とお)りには店(みせ)が三軒(さんげん)ある。
There are three shops on this street.
三(さん)軒(げん)隣(となり)にパン屋(や)がある。
There's a bakery three doors down.
After 三(さん), the counter is voiced: さんげん, not さんけん.
何軒(なんけん)のレストランを回(まわ)った？
How many restaurants did you go to?
駅前(えきまえ)に居酒屋(いざかや)が何軒(なんけん)も並(なら)んでいる。
There are many izakaya lined up in front of the station.
あの商店街(しょうてんがい)には昔(むかし)ながらの店(みせ)が二十(にじっ)軒(けん)ほど並(なら)んでいて、休日(きゅうじつ)はいつもにぎわっている。
In that shopping street, about twenty traditional shops line up, and it's always bustling on holidays.

〜軒(けん) is the counter for houses, shops, restaurants, bars, and other establishments.

Counting patterns

  • 一軒(いっけん): 1
  • 二軒(にけん): 2
  • 三軒(さんげん): 3 (voiced げん)
  • 四軒(よんけん): 4
  • 五軒(ごけん): 5
  • 六軒(ろっけん): 6
  • 七軒(ななけん): 7
  • 八軒(はっけん): 8 (also はちけん)
  • 九軒(きゅうけん): 9
  • 十軒(じゅっけん): 10 (also じっけん)
  • 何軒(なんけん): how many? (also なんげん)

Common expressions

Similar words

  • 〜棟(とう): counter for larger buildings such as apartment blocks or hospital wings

Writing

The same kanji read のき means the eaves of a roof (軒(のき)).

Related Words

Related: 一軒家(いっけんや) (detached house)

Related Articles

Japanese Counters and Classifiers
core
Added 2026.1.9 21:25 · Revised 2026.10.1 17:29
01500/01993_ken